It's a remarkable turnaround for a course that feared for its future 18 months ago and golf operations manager Brian Rumney, who was the club pro for 12 years before taking on his new role, couldn't be happier.

He points to several key factors - not least the decision by owners Newcastle Racecourse to get behind the complex, which has an 18-hole course, 45-bay driving range and pitch and putt lay-out and invest - as the reasons for the remarkable lift-off.

"There's no doubt Newcastle Racecourse's decision to adopt a hands-on approach, the commitment to spending money, including around &#xA3;175,000 on new machinery and a course watering system and the appointment of our new head greenkeeper Steve Quince has made an enormous difference," said Rumney.

"With Steve being a good golfer himself, playing off a handicap of two, it helps when you are trying to think of how to set the course out and where certain things should be.

"He is doing a lot to improve the course. You can seen the difference in the greens and the course and we have had a surge in membership to 620 and we think we will have to draw the line at 750."

There's also been a good response to this Friday's "putter and flutter" pro-am.

Golfers are playing in the pro-am and be able to go racing at the evening meeting at Gosforth Park. "It sold out in four weeks," said Rumney, "and we're looking at doing two next year."

There are also plans to improve and probably extend the clubhouse and perhaps also add more bays to driving range.

"We have replaced all the mats on the driving range, got rid of all the one-piece balls in favour of two-piece and have improved the lighting which makes the range an all-round better facility for people to practice on."